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An agreement signed between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over two disputed Red Sea islands has provoked angry reactions from Egyptian citizens, social media users and MPs.

Part of multi-billion dollar agreements and memoranda signed during a landmark visit by Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to Cairo, the agreement paves the way for the transfer of sovereignty over the strategically located islands of Tiran and Sanafir from Egypt to Saudi Arabia.

"This enables both countries to benefit from the exclusive economic zone for each, with whatever resources and treasures they contain," the Egyptian cabinet said in statement on Saturday.

The statement said that the determination that the two islands fall within Saudi regional waters was the culmination of a six-year process of studies and eleven rounds of negotiations between the two sides.

According to the Egyptian government, the two uninhabited islands are Saudi but have been in Egypt's custody for protection since 1950.

Egyptian political scientist and columnist Amr Hamzawy said on Twitter that the cabinet's statement was "accurate", but blamed the government for failing to address the public opinion with "transparency".

Translation: We have the right to reject the lack of transparency in the Egyptian government's dealing with the maritime border demarcation agreement. We also have the right to reject how the government kept the public opinion in the dark.

However, many critics cited an agreement reached between Egypt and the Ottoman Empire in 1906 that awarded sovereignty over the islands to Egypt.

Samer Shehata, an associate professor of Middle East studies at the University of Oklahoma, told The New York Times that regardless of the legal situation, the "optics of this move are terrible", referring to the transfer of the two islands.

"Here you have Salman coming to Egypt, pledging billions of dollars in aid and investment, and in exchange these islands are handed over," Professor Shehata added.

"It seems to many Egyptians that the president is selling land for Saudi riyals."

It seems to many Egyptians that the president is selling land for Saudi riyals.- Samer Shehata

Egyptian MP Haitham Hariri told The New Arab that Sisi's signing of the deal was "invalid", as the decision to hand the sovereignty of land over must be ratified by the Egyptian parliament first.

Hariri added that the historically Egyptian islands should not be sold off to satisfy Saudi Arabia or even in return for grants in the form of projects and investments.

Along with other MPs, Hariri said he would submit a request to defence minister Sedki Sobhi and foreign minister Sameh Shoukri to deliver to the parliament the documents that prove Saudi Arabia's sovereignty over Tiran and Sanafir.

On Sunday, Egyptian lawyer Khaled Ali filed a lawsuit with the administrative judiciary, calling for the annulment of the maritime border agreement.

Ali said in a Facebook post that the case was "not personal" and that it would require major research and legal efforts on the historical, geographical, constitutional and international levels.

The human rights lawyer and former presidential candidate also called for assistance from anyone who is able to help with research or provide supporting documents.

At least 11 people have been arrested so far for protesting against the decision, with calls for more protests supported by some political parties and popular movements.

The settlement of the long-standing maritime dispute has also kicked off a storm on social media networks, with activists arguing that handing over the two islands to the Saudis was tantamount to a sell-off to the kingdom.

This regime is giving up national territory and threatening national security.- Professor Khaled Fahmy

Khaled Fahmy, a history professor at Harvard and the American University in Cairo, said in a Facebook post that the regime, which he argued is basing its legitimacy on the idea of defending national territory, has given up the islands of Tiran and Sanafir without consulting the parliament or even informing the public or the media.

"Thus, based on its own definition, this regime is giving up national territory and threatening national security," he added.

Activists used several hashtags to denounce the agreement and share pages from geography books and Egyptian school curricula proving Egypt's sovereignty over the islands.

One of the hashtags was "Awad sold his land", a reference to a character in an old Egyptian song who had sold his land - a shameful act in the eyes of rural Egyptians.

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